It's a 35-minute video, but the first 10-11 minutes are kind of riveting, outlining a potential hypothetical scenario where the Soviets launched a first strike against the United States. I remember watching this when I was a teenager, and it scared the bejesus out of me.
I think it was documentaries like this which fed into notions at the time that President Carter was too weak and that America had been losing its edge in the arms race. Even people who I knew to be anti-war and anti-military were starting to razz on Carter by this time. In 1979, one of the key events I recall was the overthrow of the Shah, with the new Islamic Republic of Iran openly hostile to the U.S., leading to the takeover of our embassy and hostage crisis. Then, there was also the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, which was another troubling development.
And the idea that we could be caught off-guard like that, with a successful Soviet first strike with us in a position to do nothing about it. There had been a great deal of discussion about how the US had gotten too weak and our military forces were withering on the vine. The view that eventually prevailed was that we needed stronger leadership and a massive increase in defense spending.
And that's what we got. In 1980, Ronald Reagan thoroughly defeated Carter, with John Anderson running as the spoiler. Many saw Reagan as a bit of a warmonger, and to be sure, US policy shifted to more interventionism and militarism. But it wasn't as bad as some people thought it might be. After all, we're still alive and able to talk about it.
The Strategic Defense Initiative (aka "Star Wars") seemed to be a boondoggle. It had the Soviets worried, but there were some doubts as to whether it would even work. Anyone calling for disarmament were dismissed as commies.
I don't think anyone in my family made any preparations for nuclear war. We didn't have a bomb shelter. They had fallout shelters at schools and other public buildings. We were in a first strike zone, a high-priority target, so I figured if it was going to happen, let it happen as quickly as possible. I had no interest in surviving a nuclear war.
We seem to be entering another Cold War, if not already. Or maybe the old Cold War never really ended. It was just put on pause, but now it's coming back.
What are your memories of the Cold War? Did you have any bomb shelters or make any preparations? Did anyone think there might really be a nuclear war?
Is a nuclear war winnable? Assuming country A could launch a surprise first strike which overwhelm country B's defenses so quickly that their ability to counterstrike is all but completely wiped out in the first wave. Therefore, no counterstrike.
That was the main objection to ABM systems and "Star Wars," since it would allow the US to launch a first strike and have the ability to launch missiles to knock out Soviet missiles headed to the US.
I'm glad these missiles were never used, but what a waste - for both sides. What were they thinking? Each side thought the other was going to attack them, yet neither side ever did. They also used other countries as pawns in this game, leading to strife and civil wars throughout the world.